もんぜん市でらっきょうを１kg６００円で買ってきました。らっきょうは血行促進、疲労回復、殺菌作用、高血圧やむくみの予防、便秘予防、免疫力を高めるなど栄養価が高く「畑の薬」とも言われているそうです。私はカレーを作った時にお供としてらっきょうをよく食べるので常備品として２年に一度ぐらいの頻度で甘酢漬けを作っています。
さて、１kgの土付きのらっきょうをきれいにするのには結構手間がかかりましたが、夜になって何とか漬け込み終了。これを数週間、冷暗所に置いたら、あとは冷蔵庫に保存していつでも食べられます。
子供の時に祖母が生姜やらっきょうを甘酢に浸けていましたが、故郷で自分が同じことをしています。日本独特の食文化。私ができるのはほんのちょっとですが、それでも少しばかり誇らしい気分になります。
I bought 1kg of Rakkyo (Chinese onions) for 600 Yen at the local morning market. Chinese onions are good for health such as improvement of blood circulation, fatigue recovery, bactericidal effect, prevention of high blood pressure and swelling, constipation prevention, immune system boost and is also referred as "medicine from the fields". I personally often eat them when I make curry at home as a side dish, so I make pickled Chinese onions with sweet vinegar every two years and eat them as regular food.
Well, It took time to clean each Rakkyo which came with soil, but I could finish pickling them at night. I will put the container in a dark and cool place for a couple weeks, then move them to the refrigerator to preserve until they are ready to eat.
When I was a child, my grandmother made pickled Rakkyo and ginger for the family. Now I am making them in the same way in my hometown. These are a part of traditional Japanese food culture. I am following only a few of them but I am a little bit proud of myself.
